National Family Caregivers Month

Excerpted from their website, the National Family Caregivers' Association's (NFCA) President and Co-Founder, Suzanne Mintz, stated "One of the most important attributes on being an advocate for your loved one is the willingess and the ability to speak up and keep your eye on the ultimate goal, protecting not only the health and safety of your loved ones but for yourself as well." As the organizer of the annual NFC Month in November, NFCA extends thanks, support, education and empowerment to family caregivers each and every year.

In 2008 a free national teleclass is being offered. The primary goals are to assist family caregivers in improving their communication with healthcare professionals as well as in strengthening their healthcare advocacy for themselves and their loved ones. The teleclasses are scheduled for November 6 and 13. For more information visit http://www.nfcacares.org/ .

2008 Health and Hospital Industry Best Companies

The Working Mother's Best Companies List identifies workplaces offering women the opportunity to excel at work and at home through the provision of programs, choices and support. With the 2007 list having revealed a noteworthy number of businesses within the Health and Hospital Industry, the 2008 list demonstrates a continuation of this ever emerging trend. Below is a list of those selected in 2008.

• Baptist Health South Florida


• Bon Secours Richmond Health System


• Bronson Healthcare Group Inc.


• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta


• Children's Memorial Hospital


• CJW Medical Center


• INOVA Health System


• Massachusetts General Hospital


• Mercy Health System


• Moffitt Cancer Center


• Northwestern Memorial Healthcare


• Pitt County Memorial Hospital


• Scripps Health


• University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics


• VCU Health System


• Wellstar Health System

Late this month the 2008 and 23rd Best Companies List will be celebrated in conjunction with the Working Mother's 2008 WorkLife Congress in New York City. Further, for the 1st time there will be an industry specific Health and Hospital Systems WorkLife Forum to explore best practices within this business sector.

Yoga: A "Healing Refuge" within Breast Cancer Care

In the October 2008 edition of Yoga Journal, Katherine Griffin authors a highly informative and inspirational article entitled "Healing Refuge". The tag line for the article reads, "For many women with BREAST CANCER, yoga offers RELIEF from the side effects of treatment while TRANSFORMING a sense of LOSS into an experience of WHOLENESS". The multi-faceted "Healing Refuge" weaves together insights from medical research, integrative medicine, yoga poses and a former hospital executive who is also a breast cancer survivor.

Rich with many resources to include e-mail subscriptions on food, wisdom, teaching and yoga practice, the magazine's website can be accessed at http://www.yogajournal.com/ .

Cancer Care: Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) Therapies

The Susan G. Komen for The Cure organization offers a free download entitled, "What I Can Do to Take Care of Me: Women Talk About CAM". The booklet describes CAM, how it can supplement a patient's cancer treatment/recovery and how to talk with your doctor. Quotes from breast cancer survivors are included. To secure this resource or choose from a vast array of gifts and educational materials, visit The Promise Shop at http://www.komen.org/ .

The promise of the Komen organization is "to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find cures". Having launched a global breast cancer movement in 1982, it has become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. This promise fulfillment continued to manifest itself through the 2008 grants portfolio with the unprecedented distribution of $100 million in grants to 81 universities and hospitals in 27 states and five countries. Designed to fast track research efforts with a strong eye on cancer patients who can not wait, the complete list of grants can be found at www.komen.org/grants .

National Breast Health and Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), and the corresponding organization of 20 years has a stated focus of "encouraging women to take charge of their own breast health, by practicing regular self-breast exams, making sure to schedule an annual mammogram, adhering to prescribed treatment and knowing the facts about recurrence". This year-round resource which can be accessed at http://www.nbcam.org/ , is a working partnership comprised of national public service organizations, professional medical associations and government agencies. With the reproduction and distribution of all NBCAM documents being permitted, a visit to the site has the added benefit of providing wellness tools for personal, community and organizational education.

National Work and Family Month

As sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch and 12 cosponsors, US Senate Resolution 210 designated October as National Work and Family Month in 2003. Imperative to business success, engaging in work-life initiatives, programs and activities throughout the year affords employers an opportunity to strengthen employee attraction, engagement, motivation and retention efforts. Shining a spotlight on related issues during the month of October engages the resolution's assertion that, "Reducing the conflict between work and family life should be a national priority."

Wall Street Journal Health Blog

The Wall Street Journal has introduced a blog on health and the business of health. Rich in news and dialogue on emerging issues of specific relevance to those within the health care industry, the blog affords an elevated level of consumer education.

To explore this resource and its' fit for you, visit http://blogs.wsj.com/health/ .

Relax, Renew and Rejuvenate Close to Home

Whether inspired by economic pressures from higher gas prices, downturns in the stock market, increases in food costs and/or other financial demands ... the importance of self care remains vital. Along with the staycation which these conditions gave birth to, the spacation affords the opportunity for relaxation, renewal and rejuvenation close to home.

Choose from a single service or a full package at a spa near you. Go alone, with a friend, family member or special loved one. Treatment options generally include massages, facials, body treatments, water treatments and energy work (such as reiki discussed in a previous blog post) with some offering salon services such as hair and nail care.

Above and beyond the spacation, incorporating spa services into your lifestyle is a "high return" way to honor and care for yourself. One approach that I have adopted is to plan for a massage a quarter, a facial a quarter and another service of choice a quarter. This ensures a spa visit each month and a wonderful treat to look forward to.

Healthy Workforce Act

Senators Tom Harkin and Gordon H. Smith cosponsored the Healthy Workforce Act of 2007, S.1753, a bill affording employers a tax credit to cover costs associated with employee wellness program implementation. On July 9th, 2007 when the bill was introduced by Senator Harkin, it was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance where it remains. That referral represents the most recent major action taken.

Despite this "holding pattern", WPC regards both the introduction and consideration of this bill to be a noteworthy federal acknowledgement of the linkage between employment and health. This wellness program tax credit was in part inspired by the following congressional findings as cited in the Act.

• The United States has more than 12 million employers and approximately 135 million working adults.
• The use of effective worksite policies and programs can reduce health risks and improve the quality of life for the 135 million full-time and part-time workers in the United States.
• Workers spend more than one-third of their day on the job and, as a result, employers are in a unique position to promote the health and safety of their employees.
• Chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, obesity, and diabetes are among the most prevalent and costly worker health problems for most employers.
• The use by employers of effective worksite policies and programs can reduce health risks and improve the quality of life for their employees.
• The good health of workers is good for business because healthier workers miss less work, are more productive, and have lower health care costs.

While a myriad of wellness program criteria is identified in the Healthy Workforce Act of 2007, required components include health awareness, employee engagement, behavioral change and a supportive environment.

Note: Together with seven(7) cosponsors Representative Tom Udall introduced related bill H.R. 3717 to the House of Representatives on October 2, 2007. On that day it was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Reiki: An Introduction

As a component of Mind, Body and Spirit wellness, WPC embraces holistic health care. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National Institutes of Health, has released a fact sheet entitled Reiki: An Introduction. As defined therein, Reiki is a healing practice that originated in Japan. Reiki practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above the person receiving treatment, with the goal of facilitating the person's own healing response. In the United States, Reiki is part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Following are the Reiki Key Points as stated in the "public domain" document.

• People use Reiki to promote overall health and well-being. Reiki is also used by people who are seeking relief from disease-related symptoms and the side effects of conventional medical treatments.
• Reiki has historically been practiced as a form of self-care. Increasingly, it is also provided by health care professionals in a variety of clinical settings.
• People do not need a special background to learn how to perform Reiki. Currently, training and certification for Reiki practitioners are not formally regulated.
• Scientific research is under way to learn more about how Reiki may work, its possible effects on health, and diseases and conditions for which it may be helpful.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

The complete fact sheet can be accessed and downloaded in PDF at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/ .

Components of Healthy Business Cultures

In order to give our best, each one of us will need to be at out best. This includes your personnel, the "life's blood" of your organization. Ever present is the quest to achieve the goals of another year and the responsibility to serve the clientele for which your mission was created. The effective achievement of both will require the consistent effort of your staff. The better the job they do at taking care of themselves, the better the job they will do at taking care of "business" in your organization. Doesn't it make sense to help them?

"Increasingly, the fact that healthy people equal a healthy business is being recognized as a fundamental underpinning for the successful company of the 21st century". Journal of Health Promotion, 9/10/03, Vol. 8

Components of Healthy Business Cultures:

Organizational Enhancement

• Invest in the Well-Being of Your Business and Your Staff


• Embrace a Culture of Wellness

Leadership Support

• Give Creedence to the Message


• Concentrate on Senior Level Buy-In

Professional Appreciation

• Invest in "Gifts of Wellness"


• Provide Opportunities to Create, Restore and Sustain Wellness

Personal Well-Being

• Give Your Staff a "Nudge"


• Communicate the Importance of Personal Responsibility

Executive Life Coaching

Focused on work-life strengthening for the business and the person, Executive Life Coaching is a strategic fit for an organization that embraces a Healthy Business Culture. It is an organizational and personal wellness service designed to facilitate the identification, achievement and sustenance of client goals. Investing in Executive Life Coaching demonstrates business knowledge that in order to give their best, employees need to be at their best. Key features include organizational enhancement, leadership development, team empowerment and work-life balance.

Through Executive Life Coaching WPC will assist employees in creating, achieving and sustaining their unique vision for the fulfillment of a balanced life. Committed to delivering a strong performance in the multiple roles of their lives, even the best of us experience periods of imbalance. This can be disruptive within ourselves, at work and/or at home. The key is not simply learning how to have it all, it is coming to know how best to manage all the dimensions of one’s life within the parameters of a personal value system and within the context of organizational demands.

Balancing Elder Care and Work

Balancing a relationship with someone you love who requires special care while also maintaining your job and your well-being involves complex responsibilities, understandable stress ... and potential fulfillment. As imparted by The National Council on Aging, the love for your family member and the satisfaction you gain from helping him/her, may coexist with resentment over a loss of privacy and a frustration with the belief that you have little or no control over what happens next. Clearly, the demands of your employment may not dissipate in concert with the demands of being a caregiver, and having an employer who respects the duality of your life is an asset.

Employees arrive at work as full human beings with responsibilities, priorities and needs that transcend, yet impact, the workplace. Recognizing this reality while maintaining a firm commitment to the achievement of organizational goals can lead to adopting Work-Life Initiatives as a Human Capital Strategy. In fact, these multi-faceted initiatives have become known as Business Imperatives.

As a component of dependent care activities, the provision of eldercare is a real issue for an increasing number of employees. Potential eldercare programming includes consultation, resource/referral, employee seminars, manager training, caregiver support groups, fairs, geriatric case management, respite care and adult day care. Workplace policies which have demonstrated a positive impact upon the fulfillment of eldercare responsibilities include flexible work arrangements, personal leaves of absence, sick leave in support of family care, vacation purchases/trades and dependent care voucher reimbursement.

Coaching the CEO: Leadership and Fulfillment

The July issue of Washington SmartCEO featured an insightful article by Jeanine Gajewski entitled, "The Coach Approach: Case Studies on the Effectiveness of Executive Coaching". Each CEO offered their vantage point on the choice to utilize executive coaching, the return on investment(ROI) and advice to others contemplating such a choice. Clear benefits experienced included leadership development, business improvement, gaining an external perspective and work-life balance. Following are two(2) sample excerpts quoted directly from the article.

Advice from the CEO of Inova Health System, Knox Singleton, stated, "My advice would be to think of oneself as a professional athlete or performer. Each performer who gets maximum performance has a coach. Objective assessment of how you are playing, and coaching on how to perform better, are essential to reaching your full potential."

ROI input from the CEO of U.S. Credit and Collections, Rod Smith, stated, "In some ways, my coach has a capacity to give me room to grieve, which is not necessarily executive coaching, but call it what you will. At one point, I was still hesitating on implementing my plan of leaving my business and through talking with my coach, I got really clear that after taking care of the business, actually making it more profitable and a healthier business, that I wanted to leave. I felt this freedom and this joy, and my coach, in many ways, helped facilitate that process."

The full document can be secured through http://www.smartceo.com/ .

An Inner Voice

Within us lies an inner voice committed to directing us towards a more exceptional existence. Within us lies a choice to be made regarding whether or not to listen. The "sounds" of life sometimes get in the way thereby either drowning out the voice or distracting us from its' power. The choice, however, is each of ours to make ... to decide to reconnect, to decide to pay attention and/or to decide to live a full life in harmony with our spirit. Even when difficult ... there is value in the struggle. Even when difficult ... "Wellness Lies Within" (TM).

According to the National Wellness Institute, wellness has the following six dimensions: social, occupational, spiritual, physical, intellectual and emotional. When partnering with Well Part Coaching LLC, the significance of relationships, career, finances, spiritual alignment, environment and life purpose is incorporated into personal transformation work.

Employee Wellness: A Shared Responsibility

The promotion of personal health management is strengthened when an employer motivates employees to take responsibility for their own health. The motivation to pursue a healthier lifestyle can be inspired when health benefits as well as supportive policies, programs and environments reside within the workplace. Embracing personal accountability moves employees away from a mindset of entitlement towards a mindset of responsibility.

According to the National Wellness Institute, wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence. Choosing to be well is a protection both from and against the impact of stress. Whether good or bad, stress is inevitable. Following the "prescription" put forth by the National Wellness Councils of America, the best stress management program addresses the causes of stress with coping skills and the symptoms of stress with relaxation skills to promote optimal wellbeing.